Trump becomes first sitting US president to visit Western Wall

JERUSALEM: Putting his hand against one of the most sacred sites in Judaism, Donald Trump on Monday became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall in the disputed city of Jerusalem.

Wearing a black skullcap, he paused in front of the holiest site where Jews can pray, then placed what appeared to be a written prayer or note between its stones, as is custom.

Trump was not accompanied by any Israeli leaders during the hugely symbolic visit.

Allowing them to do so could have led to accusations that Washington was implicitly recognising Israel’s unilateral claim of sovereignty over the site, which would break with years of US and international precedent.

Security was tight, with the usually bustling Old City, where the Western Wall is located, essentially on lockdown and the plaza leading to the site cleared.

As Trump’s convoy of dozens of cars entered the square around 4.00pm, armed security forces were positioned on nearly every building nearby as well as on the outer wall of the Old City.

In the nearby Jewish Quarter, barriers had been erected to make viewing the square impossible from ground level, and some residents said they had been told not to go onto their roofs overlooking the Western Wall.

Simon, a 20-year-old American studying in a nearby Jewish seminary, said he was ‘excited’ by Trump’s visit but disappointed he would not see him.

Around a dozen ultra-Orthodox Jewish men had crammed into a tiny terrace on top of one house looking over, seemingly having been granted permission.

Trump was accompanied by the Western Wall’s rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovitz, during his visit.

Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism and is married to one of the president’s top aides Jared Kushner, visited the women’s side of the wall.

Trump is the first US president to have Jewish members of his immediate family.

Under strict interpretation of Jewish law, men and women must pray separately at the wall. The rule has been repeatedly challenged by progressive Jewish movements seeking equal prayer rights.

Trump wrote ‘This was a great honour — peace!’ before signing his name in the wall’s guest book.

Rabinovitz presented him with a gold-leafed Book of Psalms stamped with the president’s name, according to pictures released by the holy site’s administration.

Speaking later in the day, Trump said he had been ‘deeply moved’ by the visit. “It will leave an impression on me for ever.”

The Western Wall is the last remnant of the supporting wall of the second Jewish temple, built by King Herod and destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

It is situated below the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam’s thirdholiest site, referred to by Jews as the Temple Mount and considered their holiest.

The visit to the Western Wall drew controversy before Trump even left Washington, when US officials declined to say whether it belonged to Israel.

The status of Jerusalem is ultrasensitive and has been among the most difficult issues in IsraeliPalestinian peace talks.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem, where the Western Wall is located, and the West Bank in 1967 in moves never recognised by the international community.

It later annexed east Jerusalem and claims the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The traditional American position has been that Jerusalem’s status must be negotiated between the two sides.

Trump visited the wall as part of his first trip abroad as president, which includes stops at important sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews.— AFP